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Elsmuth
Elsmuth, known as the City of Death, is the home of some of the most prestigious necromancers and liches ever known. Anyone who calls themselves a necromancer with any seriousness has at least visited this city. Many of necromancy's darkest secrets are known only to the top necromancers of the city. Government Historically Elsmuth has been governed by a ruling council which consisted of it's top 5 necromancers. These necromancers are allowed to remain in power, unchallenged, for 4 years. After this time any necromancer that feels they are more powerful are allowed to challenge their right to the council. This challenge is a test of power and knowledge and only ends when one, or the other, is killed (or re-killed as the council is often made of liches). Anyone killed during this event is strictly prohibited from being being brought back from the dead, alive or otherwise. However, this has changed drastically in the past 3 years due to the emergence of the Pactborn. With overwhelming power he has taken control of the city and named himself the Undead Emperor. Although the Pactborn allows the necromancers to continue with their council and make decisions, they know this to be a facade and that their power only exists because he allows them to "play their games". Nothing makes this more obvious then his taking control of the cities undead and using them for his own purposes. Purposes that he refuses to explain or even acknowledge when asked. Unhappy with their current situation many of the necromancers grumble and speak of retaking what is rightfully theirs. However, the Pactborns power is not to be underestimated, and with them unable to even trust their own undead servants, any hope of regaining their past power seems hopeless. History Culture Elsmuth's culture revolves around necromancy. It is a part of every aspect of their life. For them, necromancy is as natural and common as the sun rising each day. Undead wander the streets, most of them mindless slave with the occasional sentient undead. Most every citizen is a necromancer, any other profession is extremely rare as most are preformed by undead servants. Those who live in the city but have little to no magic potential are often become "stone shifters". Those people who go out into the lost ruins to retrieve lost and forgotten artifacts and tomes. This work needs to be done by the living for it often requires dexterity and intelligence not commonly found among undead servants. There is no real currency in Elsmuth, any compensation is usually fulfilled with an exchange of undead servants or with knowledge. Most common goods and food are free to citizens. Outsiders are able to pay with normal currency because, even though it has no use within Elsmuth, it is often used to barter with the outside world. Elsmuth is shrouded in constant glowing fog making it hard to determine the time of day or night. This coupled with the fact that many of it's inhabitants are undead and don't sleep makes time keeping fairly useless. Those who are living and require sleep and food tend to eat and sleep when ever it suits them. There are incentives for the stone shifters for the amount and quality of findings, but no time schedule for them to actually do anything.